Silver Hair
by SubZeroChimera
Summary: Oneshot, MegamanX/ZX crossover. A young orphan by the name of Ashe comes across an unusual person, a mercenary by the name of Dynamo...


Young Ashe was very alone.

Hunter's camp, for a young orphaned girl, was no place to be. Although she was treated like the local pet, getting proper care and attention was surprisingly hard. At the best of times, she would stay with a person for around a month, playing cute and acting like an angel, getting free food right up until her caretaker couldn't handle the responsibility anymore, couldn't afford her anymore, straight out died, or just abandoned her after a while due to boredom or annoyance. At the worst of times, well... she was overly familiar with a certain patch of dirt in an alleyway, and let's leave it at that.

Still, all things considered, she was rather fortunate. For one, she was still alive; she knew she had lost her parents when she wasn't old enough to remember them, and that alone told her that she wouldn't have been old enough to survive a day without someone there watching her. Apparently someone had tried to take care of her full time, but that was so long ago, and no doubt her surrogate parent or parents had died along the way. That happened to a lot of hunters.

Still, Ashe, maybe five years old, she couldn't remember exactly, could only count her blessing so many times. And on one hand, for that matter. She wasn't dead, she had people who knew her... but no one her age to play with. And no one who really loved her like a daughter. Sure, Hunters were all one big family, but... something was just_ missing_ no matter how hard she looked. She had no end to the older brothers and sisters, but not one real mom or dad she could call her own. Then there was her hair. Probably the only reason, apart from her pitiable state and hopeful pleas, that had let her live so long. It was both a blessing and a curse.

Because of her hair, people noticed her. Silver _was not_ a usual colour. It was the main reason she could survive the camp. People saw the hair, and much like an unusual animal or pet, wanted to have her around. Still, it also set her apart negatively. It was quite disconcerting in a way. Anyone who wasn't attracted by it treated her like a freakshow, and really, she supposed she was. Seriously, how many other orphans lived in _Hunter's camp_ of all places? None. She would have loved to go to a Legion orphanage, really, apparently they were quite nice, but she didn't have the money to catch a train there. Not that she knew where 'there' was anyways.

Thus, Ashe lived her life in relative, if extremely lean, comfort, or at least as much comfort as the camp could offer. Anyone watching her often wondered how the poor girl would end up. She was determined, but the lack of proper care also made her desperate, clingy and nervous. Sometimes she would sit at a corner, longingly gazing at everyone who passed. Other times she would follow anyone who looked at her, stalking the person in the vain hope that they might give her some form of attention, good or bad.

It was during one such episode, during an especially long and cold night, that she spotted someone with something she'd never have expected to see.

Silver hair.

Just like her.

It hung in a thin ponytail down the back of a freakishly tall man glancing furtively around the camp, gusts of wind howling down the empty, dark lanes of trampled ground. He wore a pair of green goggles on his forehead which reflected the faint light from a nearby streetlamp, and a red visor below that. It was hard to tell, but he seemed to be wearing navy (or black?) clothes, heavy boots, and gauntlets. Whatever the man was doing, it seemed avoiding detection was his goal. Unfortunately for him, Ashe, hidden in an alley to protect herself from the wind, had spotted him. So fascinated by his silver hair, she crept towards him slowly.

Her foot caught on a can, accidentally sending it clattering out onto the road. In a trice the man had turned around, shooting at her location with some sort of charged energy gun.

Ashe screamed as the shot flew overhead. She ducked, holding her head in her hands, incredibly grateful that the shot had been intended for a taller person.

Something crunched in front of her. She looked at the ground in front of her, or rather, would have looked at it if not for the boot in her way. Fearful eyes followed the boot upwards, all the way to the surprised eyes of the man who had been several metres away just a few moments ago.

"A kid? Here?" he asked, a light, mischievous undertone disguised by shock.

Ashe sniffed, terrified. "Are... are you a maverick?"

"Depends on which definition you're using. I'm not gonna hurt you kid, yeesh. Well, not unless someone is paying me to."

"...Uhm, okay. Uh, which definition?"

"The newest one. I'm only a maverick if you use Legion's standards. You know, the whole age thing? Oops, shouldn't have said that. Don't tell anyone that, eh?"

"..."

"You know, you're kinda cute-"

"EEEEEEEEEEKK! Maverick! Eeeeeeeek!"

Ashe got up, running into the barely lit lane as fast as she could on her two short legs, yelling for help.

"Hey, whoa, hold on kid! Shush! Ack! Don't do that! Oh that could have gone better! Shoot!" The man shot out after her, easily catching up to her despite her running as fast as she could. He swept her up in his hands, covering her mouth to keep her quiet. Panicked, she struggled wildly in his arms. Taken aback by her flailing, the man nearly lost his hold on her, part of her slipping from his grasp. Taking the opportunity, Ashe bit down hard on his arm.

"Eyowch! That's it!"

The next thing Ashe knew, he'd grabbed her by her collar, swung her outwards, and brought out his weapon.

She was sure she was dead the moment he swung her again until she was facing outwards. Cold realization struck her dumb. She couldn't see the weapon, or him, but felt something metallic strike the back of her head harshly.

Everything went black.

When she came to she was tied up. Her head pounding from the blow, she blinked, trying to view the world around her. Oddly enough, she was covered by a blanket, soft and warm. It was a baby blue, covering her entirely so that she couldn't see past it. She grunted and tried to throw it off, but was taken aback when it was suddenly yanked off and the brightness of the room she was in assailed her eyes.

"Look who just woke up! How you doing sweet cheeks?"

Shaking her head groggily, Ashe managed to adjust her eyes to the light, and when they did, she found herself face to face with the silver haired man.

She tried to scream, but soon found that she'd also been gagged. The man held up his hand in front of her face, tutting as he waggled a finger in a scolding manner.

"Tsk tsk little girlie, no more of that please! You have no idea how hard it was to hide after your yelling woke up half of the hunters in the camp. Good thing they're all too stupid to look in one of their own sheds, eh?"

Ashe stopped trying to yell. Concern gave way to confusion as the man smiled, pinching her cheek.

"You really are a cutie though. What's someone like you doing around this camp anyways? Oh right, can't answer with that thing in your mouth. Promise not to scream and I'll take it off!" he teased.

Ashe sat blankly for a few seconds before she nodded her head vigorously. The man reached forward, taking out the gag. The two stared at each other before Ashe piped up.

"You're awful nice for a maverick, mister."

The man looked comically appalled, "Maverick? Oh my little dear, I'm not a maverick! I prefer the term 'mercenary'."

"Okay mercenary. My name is Ashe," said the silverette sweetly. She fluttered her eyelashes, recognizing a potential opportunity with the oddly friendly man.

"My name is Dynamo, not mercenary. Hah hah, aren't you a little flirt?" he grinned. "Anyways, you forgot my question! What's a little sweetheart like you doing in dusty ole' Hunter's Camp? Don't you have parents that are supposed to be taking care of you somewhere?"

Ashe looked down silently. "..No... I don't have parents," she finally replied.

Dynamo's smile disappeared, "Oh. I guess that explains that. But why aren't you in an orphanage then?"

"'Cause when my parents died, it was hunters who found me. An' they took me here and tried to take care of me, but I guess it didn't work. And everyone here is usually nice, but no one takes care of me for long and I don't got the money to get a train to Legion and-!"

"That's enough, I get it! I get it." Dynamo said, making gentle hushing noises. "Okay, so you're here because you can't go anywhere else. All right. Well, sorry about earlier little lady. I'll take you out and explain the mishap last night, and then we can both be on our way."

"Mister Dynamo?"

"Yeah?"

"Why do you have silver hair like me?"

Dynamo looked down at her, an expression of thought crossing his face. "I don't know. I was going to ask you that actually."

"I don't know why..."

"Eh, that's okay. Come on, let's go outside and clean this mess up."

As he untied her, Dynamo's characteristic smile once again appeared on his face. Ashe thought it was slightly creepy that he was always smiling so widely, but paid it no heed. As the pair exited the building, one of the hunters outside yelled in surprise and called his friends over. Dynamo acted like he was shocked at the treatment when another hunter came over and held up his gun at the tall man. After some very fast talking on his part about how the girl had mistaken him for a maverick and he'd just taken care of her for the night after she'd fallen and knocked herself out (which Ashe knew wasn't really true but let him say what he wanted anyways) the whole thing was smoothed over. However, just when everyone had started to relax, Dynamo said something that Ashe couldn't stand.

"All right, here you go, she's all yours again guys."

For some reason, that struck a huge chord in the small silverette. She puffed herself up angrily, staring down the tall mercenary angrily.

"Hey mister, how dare you! You gave me so much trouble! You owe me for that!"

One of the hunters laughed, "Hey man, she's got a point. You did frighten her pretty badly."

"Oh come on," moaned Dynamo, "how is that fair?"

"Fair is fair! You owe me!"

"Fine girlie, fine! What do I owe you?"

Ashe looked up at him, a smirk on her face, "You gotta take care of me."

"What!"

"You gotta-"

"I heard you the first time! No way I'm doing that!" he growled, his smile turned into a disbelieving grimace.

"...If you don't do it I'll cry."

"Then go ahead and cry! I don't care!"

"Bwwaaaaaaahh! You're so unfair! Aaaaauuuuuuaaaaaaaaa! You h-hit me and you owe m-me but you're gonna just be a big meanie and leave me all- _hic!_ All alone and undefended and, and...! Waaaaa!"

Dynamo recoiled, trying to calm her down as the hunters in the background barely restrained their laughter, "Whoa whoa whoa! I'm sorry sweetie! Quit crying! Girlie! Hey! Fine! FINE! I'll take care of you!"

Ashe quit crying.

"But only for a day!"

Sniff.

"Er, until I can find someone else to take care of you, how's about that? That work for you girlie?"

Ashe continued snuffling, but looked up longingly at Dynamo, "_Hic_... okay... I can... _sniff_, work with that." She suddenly lunged forwards, grabbing his legs (she was barely up to his knees) and cuddling into him. "Thanks for taking care of me mister Dynamo!"

Dynamo sighed heavily, "Oi oi oi, what did I just get myself into? Don't worry Dynamo, it's just for a little bit. It's okay. She'll be outta your hair before you know it."

One year later, and Dynamo knew he was kidding himself whenever he thought that he could be free of the little bundle of attitude. Ashe had grown on him like a tumor, but it was a very cute little tumor he couldn't get rid of. Despite the fact that he'd tried to alienate her by just calling her 'girlie' all the time, she'd only grown more attached, and so did he in turn. At first she was a wreck, constantly needing attention and getting terrified whenever he disappeared for too long. Soon enough however, she'd begun to trust him more, and the fact that he always came back after missions. Ashe even opened up about how scared she was that he wouldn't come back. It hadn't been unusual that people would promise her they'd return, and after a few days alone, she'd had to go back out and scrounge food off of the other hunters when the person never showed up. Whether the constant abandonment had been intentional or not, it had left her with issues that took a long time to heal.

Another year. She finally got over the last of her inhibitions when Dynamo flat out told her that he wasn't leaving her unless he had to. At first she had been nervous, but she was approaching the age where she could take care of herself if necessary. And Dynamo, being a several-century-old mercenary, taught her enough tips of the trade that she could get what she needed to survive, legally or not.

Two more years. She started coming with him on missions. Most of the time she'd stay in safe places, but every once in a while she would contribute. At some time Dynamo spilt the beans about how he was technically a maverick due to his refusal to comply with the preset age timers that were imposed on reploids. She couldn't have cared less.

Time continued to pass, Ashe picking up on the trade of being a hunter, and Dynamo took care of her however he could, teaching her all the tips of the trade and all of his values. Including the reason he always smiled.

"Because every day is worth living no matter what, so you might as well relax and smile about it!" he'd said.

Then came the day, around when she was thirteen, that Ashe had dreaded ever since Dynamo had taken her in. He came into their apartment as calmly as ever, his usual smile strained.

"I have to go Ashe. They're close to finding me out, and I've got to go into hiding for a bit."

Ashe, at first, was stunned. But instead of crying, trying to make him stay, or begging him not to go, she just smiled at him. "About time you got the hell outta town you old geezer."

Dynamo grinned harder. He turned around, gave one last wave, closed the door behind him, and disappeared off the face of the Earth.

From that day forward, Ashe never looked back again. Even after she found Model A, discovered her destiny, and flung it back into Albert's face along with loads of plasma, regret never again wracked her frame, loneliness never crept into her heart, and nervousness wasn't even given a second thought.

She only ever smiled, facing her future no matter what it entailed.

And somewhere, deep in uncharted lands, before an old 21xx television set, a similar smile was worn below eyes clouded with proud tears.

"Way to go, girlie. Way to go."


End file.
